BEST OF JUNAGADH - SOMNATH - DIU IN 4 DAYS

At a distance of 1 km from Junagadh Junction, Mahabat Maqbara is a mausoleum situated in Mullawada locality of Junagadh. Also called Mausoleum of Bahaduddinbhai Hasainbhai, it is one of the historical monuments in Gujarat and among the prime places to visit in Junagadh.

Often considered as the most imposing architectural monument in Junagadh, Mahabat Maqbara was originally the residential palace of Babi Nawabs. The construction of the palace was started by Mahabat Khanji in 1878 CE and was completed by his successor Bahadur Kanji in 1892 CE. The palace complex is now houses the tombs of Mahabat Khan II, the 6th Nawab of Junagadh and Bahaduddinbhai Hasainbhai, the minister of Nawab Rasul Khanji.

Both mausoleums at Mahabat Maqbara palace complex are the fine examples of art and architecture, typical of the late 19th century royal monuments of Junagadh. Mahabat Maqbara, the mausoleum of Mahabat Khan, is a fusion of Indo-Islamic, European and Gothic architecture and was built in .....

At a distance of 2 km from Junagadh Railway Station, Upperkot Fort is an ancient fort located in Junagadh, Gujarat. Situated at the foot of the sacred Girnar Hill, this is one of the major places of heritage in Gujarat, and among the must include places in Junagadh packages.

Also known as Uperkot, the magnificent fort of Upperkot is said to be built by Chandragupta Maurya in 319 BC and continued to be used during Gupta period. The fort lost its importance when the capital of the Saurashtra region was moved from Junagadh to Vallabhi by Maitrakas and was abandoned for 300 years. Later it was rediscovered and rebuilt with all the updated requirements during 976 AD by Rah Grahar of Chudasama dynasty and later it came under the rule of Mughals in 1473 CE. Further down, the fort came into the hands of Babi Nawabs. The fort has survived for 16 sieges over a period of 800 years due to its .....

At a distance of 2 km from Junagadh Junction, Darbar Hall Museum is a historical museum situated in Sardar Baug area of Junagadh in Gujarat. It is one of the finest museums in Gujarat and among the prime Junagadh Tourist Places.

Also known as Junagadh Museum, the Darbar Hall Museum was founded in the year 1964. The museum was initially a courthouse used by the then Nawabs of Junagadh state where cases were heard. The museum provides the tourists an opportunity to have a glimpse at the glory and grandeur of the Nawabs of Babi dynasty who have ruled Junagadh till India's independence. The majority of the exhibits in the museum date back to the 19th century.

Located in Taj Manzil Building, Darbar Hall Museum is exhibiting around 2900 artefacts in different galleries namely Picture Gallery, Palanquin Room, Textile and Costumes Gallery, Weapons Gallery, Darbar Hall etc. The Picture Gallery boasts a large collection of photographs and paintings of last Nawab with his numerous dogs. .....

At a distance of 4 km from Junagadh Junction, Shree Swaminarayan Temple is a revered Hindu temple situated at the Dipanjali locality of Junagadh. It is one of the important BAPS Mandirs in Gujarat and among the top Junagadh places to visit.

Located on Jawahar Road, Shri Swaminarayan Mandir is dedicated to Lord Swaminarayan - a Hindu saint, yogi, ascetic, and the founder of Swaminarayan Sampraday. This temple was ordered to be built by Lord Swaminarayan himself, the founder of the Swaminarayan Sampraday. The land for this temple was gifted by Jinabhai, Darbar of Panchala of King Hemant Singh. The foundation stone for the temple was laid by Gunatitanand Swami in 1826 AD while the construction of this temple was supervised by Brahmanand Swami.

On May 1, 1828 AD, Swaminarayan himself installed Shri Ranchhodrai and Trikamrai in the inner sanctum, Radharaman Dev, and Harikrishna Maharaj in the eastern wing .....

At a distance of 2 km from Somnath Railway Station, Somnath Temple is a Hindu temple situated in Prabhas Patan on the coast of Arabian Sea in Gujarat. It is one of the most important temples in Gujarat for Hindus and among the must include places in Somnath tour.

Dedicated to Lord Shiva, Somnath Temple is believed to be the first among the twelve jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva. Somnath means 'Lord of the Soma', an epithet of Shiva. According to history scholars, the site of Somnath has been a pilgrimage site from ancient times as it was said to be the confluence point of three rivers, Kapila, Hiran, and the mythical Saraswati. The confluence was called Triveni Sangam and is believed to be the place where Soma, the Moon-god bathed and regained his luster.

According to Puranas, the original temple of Somnath was built in gold by the moon god Soma, in silver by the sun god Ravi, .....

At a distance of 1 km from Somnath Temple and 2 km from Somnath Railway Station, Shri Ram Temple is a Hindu temple built near Triveni Sangam Ghat in the temple town of Somnath. It is one of the splendid temples to visit in Somnath.

Shri Ram Mandir is dedicated to Lord Rama. The temple was built by Shree Somnath Trust in 2017. The temple is the newest addition to the array of religious places in and around Somnath. The temple is graceful and the sanctum has artistic idols of Lord Rama, Sita Devi and Lord Lakshmana. There are also two mini shrines dedicated to Lord Hanuman and Lord Ganesh beside the sanctum. All the idols are made of marble.

Built from Bansi Pahanpul pink stone, the mandir has two floors. It has auditorium and kirtan hall on the ground floor. It has also a theater with 260-280 chairs in which the life of Shri Ram will be presented on large screen. The gate of this temple is in shape of Shri Ram's dhanushya. One can get a glimpse of Somnath temple, Somnath coast, .....

At a distance of 2 km from Somnath Temple and 2.5 km from Somnath Railway Station, Gita Mandir is a Hindu temple located on the banks of Triveni Sangam in the holy town of Somnath, Gujarat. Also known as Birla Mandir, it is one of the most popular pilgrimage spot in Somnath.

Dedicated to Lord Shri Krishna, the current structure of Gita Mandir was built in the year of 1970 by Birla Group. As per mythology, Gita Mandir is situated at the very exact spot where Lord Sri Krishna took rest after his walk from Bhalka Theerth to Triveni Theerth, before his journey to Neej Dham at Dehotsarg. This incident happened after he was hit by an arrow, towards the end of Dwapara Yuga and Lord Krishna proceeded to heaven from this place.

Known for its wonderful architecture carved out of white marbles, the Gita Mandir enshrines the idol of Lord Krishna in its sanctum. The presiding deity is flanked by two idols of Lord Laxminarayan and Lord Sita-Ram. The footprint of Lord Shri Krishna is carved .....

At a distance of 1 km from Somnath Temple and 2 km from Somnath Railway Station, Triveni Ghat is a holy place located in the pilgrimage town of Somnath. Situated near Somnath Beach, it is one of the most important holy places in Somnath.

Also known as Triveni Sangam, Triveni Ghat is the meeting place of three rivers Hiran, Kapila and Saraswati and then empties together into the Arabian Sea. These stages of rivers where they meet and then flow together to the sea symbolize human birth, life and death. Triveni Ghat holds a significant place in the Hindu Mythology and Puranas and also finds a mention in the Hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharata. It is believed that a bath at Triveni Sangam can wash off all sins and also facilitate Moksha by merging with the God.

As per Hindu mythology, this is the place visited by Krishna after being hit by an arrow and is considered to be the cremation ground of Lord Krishna. A temple has been dedicated to him to mark the place. This is also the .....

At a distance of 2 km from Diu Bus Station, Diu Fort is an ancient fort located in Diu. Situated near Diu Collectorate, it is one of the historical forts in India and among the prominent places to visit in Diu during your Diu Trip.

The Fort of Diu, formally Fortaleza de São Tomé, is an expansive and imposing structure situated in the extreme southeast point of the island. It was built by D. Nuno da Cunha in the year 1535 subsequent to a defense alliance forged by Bahadur Shah, the Sultan of Gujarat and the Portuguese when Humayun, the Mughal Emperor attempted to annex this territory. Later, the fort was rebuilt by D. Joao de Castro in 1546. The Portuguese ruled over this territory for 424 years from 1537 to 1961 even after India's independence from British and were ousted from Diu only when the government of India launched a military action called the 'Operation Vijay'.

Spread over an area of 5.6 hectares, the Diu Fort is protected by the sea on three sides. The outer wall .....

At a distance of 2 km from Diu Bus Station, St. Paul's Church is an ancient church situated in Diu Island, on the west coast of India. It is one of the oldest churches in India and among the most visited places in Diu.

The St. Paul's Church is one of the three churches built by the Portuguese in Diu and is solely dedicated to 'Our Lady of Immaculate Conception'. The construction of the church was started in 1601 and finished in 1610. Named after St. Paul, the Apostle of Jesus also known as the Apostle to the Gentiles, it is said to be the largest and the only functioning church in Diu till date.

Built in the Baroque architectural style, this 400 years old church of St. Paul exhibits strong similarity but with better workmanship and design than the Basilica of Bom Jesus at Goa, which was also built by the Portuguese in 1605 AD. Renowned all over the world for its stunning architecture by Indian craftsmen, the church boasts of rich wood carvings, splendid facade, intriguing volutes, .....

At a distance of 1.5 km from Diu Bus Station, Diu Museum is a prominent museum located in Diu. Situated near St. Paul's Church, it is one of the museums in the Union Territory of Diu - Daman and among the must-visit places in Diu town.

The museum was set up in the St. Thomas Church, hence it is called as St. Thomas Church Museum. The church was built in 1598 by an order of Bishop D. Aleixo Menezes and was the first Parish Church of Diu. Lies on an elevated platform within the Diu Fort, the church was built in the Gothic style of architecture. This edifice came under various functions like an Orphanage, Old Age Home, Police Station and prior to liberation, it housed the Angolan Battalion. Post-liberation, it was abandoned for many years. Later in 1992, the church was converted into a museum. After the conversion of the building to the museum, the church does not organize prayer services anymore, although an annual mass is held on All Saint's Day on 1st November.

St. Thomas .....

At a distance of 3 km from Diu Bus Station, Gangeshwar Mahadev Temple is an ancient Hindu temple located at Fudam village in Diu. Situated on the Arabian Sea coast, it is one of the important places of pilgrimage in Diu and among the must visit places as part of Diu Tour Packages.

Situated amidst serenity and scenic beauty, the Gangeshwar Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, the transformer of Hindu trinity. Here the presiding deity is called Gangeshwar, who is considered to be the Lord of River Ganga since it descended to the earth from the tresses of Lord Shiva. The Gangeshwar Mahadev Temple is more than 5000 years old. It is basically a cave temple located in the midst of rocks on the seashore.

The shrine has five Shivalingas of different sizes which are believed to have been installed by the Pandava brothers during their exile period. These Shivlingas are constantly washed by the lapping waves of the Arabian Sea and one has to touch the Lord when the waves are returning. .....

At a distance of 8 km from Diu Bus Station, Nagoa Beach is a stunning sea beach located at Nagoa hamlet of Bucharwada village in Diu. Situated near Diu Airport, it is one of the most popular beaches on the Arabian Sea coast and among the must include places in Diu Packages.

Nagoa Beach is a horseshoe-shaped beach known for its exotic ambiance and scenic beauty. Extends over an area of 2 km, the beach is characterized by an enclosing cove with white sands. It is considered to be the most beautiful as well as the most famous beach in Diu. A walk along the shore is a great way to relax one's body and soul. Also, Nagoa Beach is one among the most unique beaches in India as it is lined with rare Hoka trees which are not found anywhere else in the country. These trees were planted by the Portuguese which they brought from Africa. The trees were sacred to the Ancient Egyptians, evident from the discovery of Hoka seeds in several rulers' tombs.

The palm-fringed beach of Nagoa witnesses .....

At a distance of 1 km from Diu Bus Station, Naida Caves are the beautiful rock formations situated outside Zampa Gate following Vijaypath Road in Diu. These caves are often used in promoting Diu Tourism.

The Naida Caves are a group of interlinked caves below the ground level which keeps a person in awe. It is believed that these caves got their shape when the Portuguese broke down sections of a huge rock formation for construction of the Diu Fort. This is how the caves got shape eventually. However, it is also studied that the caves were formed due to geological irregularities and processes over a significant amount of time. These caves acted as a shelter for the Indian Army during Operation Vijay which was launched against the Portuguese.

The caves feature a big network of tunnels with square hewn steps that remain completely unexplored. The caves also have a natural opening that lets in sunlight, making it photogenic. The orange-brown walls of the caves, maze kind cave tunnels, .....